Cyclists on the Pöllauberg at sunrise | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | HARTJE KG Cyclists on the Pöllauberg at sunrise | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | HARTJE KG
Touring mountain bike route in the Joglland - Waldheimat region

THE GRAND JOGL

The 193-kilometre "Der große Jogl" cycle tour leads through all eleven municipalities in the Joglland - Waldheimat region. On one of the longest continuous cycle tours in Styria, around 5413 meters in altitude are covered. On a wide variety of roads, forest and meadow paths, the tour leads to the most beautiful places, highest peaks and most interesting excursion destinations in the region.

The tour is classified as difficult due to its length. However, only a few technically challenging trails await you along the route, but bikers are provided with highlights such as the Trailland.

The Grand Jogl is planned as a multi-day tour in two to four stages. This not only gives you more time to enjoy the scenery, but also to stop off at the inns, huts and viewpoints . The Hochwechsel, the Pretul, the Wildwiese, the Arzberg or the Masenberg are particularly impressive with their fantastic views of the whole of Eastern Styria - the garden of Austria.

Logo Gravel Challenge | © TV Oststeiermark | /Press/MediaCopyright/TV_Oststeiermark

THE GRAVEL CHALLENGE

The Grand Jogl is perfect for gravel bikers - discover "The Grand Jogl - The Gravel Challenge"! Three different route variants can be ridden - pure gravel enjoyment!

ROUTE

Attention: On some sections of the trail, such as on the Pretul, the Hochwechsel, in the Fischbach area or on the sections of the Joglland trail, the conditions are currently still rather wintry and soft, muddy. There may also be difficult conditions on some other sections at the moment. Please take this into account when planning your tour!

The municipality of Vorau is suggested as the starting point , but the tour can also be started in any other municipality and can also be ridden in both directions. The stage layout can be changed depending on fitness, mood and desire.

  • The Grand Jogl" tour starts in the municipality of Vorau in the area of the Augustinian Canons' Monastery Vorau, the open-air museum and the Urkraft Arena. There are also parking facilities here.
  • The tour leads via the district of Riegersberg to Mönichwald, a district of the municipality of Waldbach-Mönichwald.
  • From there it goes to the summit of the Hochwechsel, the highest point of the tour at 1,743 meters.
  • After the descent from the Hochwechsel to the Rabl-Kreuz cottage, the route continues to Breitenbrunn and from there to the Arzberg.
  • After a rest at the Arzberghütte, the route continues to St. Jakob im Walde and on a section of the Joglland cross-country ski trail to Rettenegg.
  • Via Ratten , the trail heads uphill again to Pretul.
  • Via the mining settlement in St. Kathrein am Hauenstein, the trail continues onto the Alpl and from there downhill towards Fischbach.
  • From the high-altitude climatic health resort of Fischbach , the tour continues along the Elmleitenweg to Birkfeld.
  • Continue along the R8 Feistritztal cycle path to Strallegg and from there to Wenigzell.
  • Via the Toten Mann, a prominent crossroads, the route then continues either to Miesenbach and Trail Land or via Wildwiese towards Masenberg, the next summit on the tour.
  • The Grand Jogl leads from Masenberg back to the starting point in Vorau.

Signposting

The touring mountain bike route is signposted throughout with yellow signs with blue arrows. The tour can be ridden in both directions, which is why the signs usually contain two directional arrows.

A detailed view of the tour "The Grand Jogl" including elevation profile and GPX data for download can be found here:


 

With the bike on the Hochwechsel | © TV Oststeiermark | Kurt Elmleitner
Bike tour to the Wildwiese in Eastern Styria | © TV Oststeiermark | Klaus Ranger
Autumn bike tour in Eastern Styria | © TV Oststeiermark | Klaus Ranger

THE STAGES AT A GLANCE

The stage layout is a suggestion and can be individually adapted for everyone, regardless of whether you want to complete the tour in just two or three days or enjoy it in four to five days.

Vorau - St. Jakob im Walde

55 KILOMETERS

To the stage
St. Jakob im Walde - Fischbach

54 Kilometers

To the Stage
Fischbach - Wenigzell

39 Kilometers

To the stage
Wenigzell - Vorau

46 Kilometers

To the stage
Wenigzell - Vorau

32 Kilometers

To the stage
Cycling with GPS coordinates on the tour "Der große Jogl" in Eastern Styria | © TV Oststeiermark | Klaus Ranger

GUIDED MTB-TOUR

If you don't want to go on the tour alone but would like to be accompanied by a bike guide, our trained bike tour guides are available on request and subject to availability. If you are interested, please contact our bike guides and ask about possible dates and costs.

CONNECTION POINTS

The Grand Jogl also offers connections to other cycle routes in Styria:

On the Hochwechsel there is the opportunity to join the Wexl trails, on the Pretul the "Mounatin wind+bike Pretul" tours start into the Mürztal. A mountain bike route leads from the Masenberg to Pöllauberg and on to Pöllau, allowing you to explore another part of Eastern Styria by bike.

The Trail Land in Miesenbach is located directly on the route of the tour "The Grand Jogl" and offers absolute trail fun in Eastern Styria.

You can find many more cycle tours on the interactive overview map.

Cycling tour in a group on the Great Jogl in Eastern Styria | © TV Oststeiermark | Klaus Ranger